374: Chapter 372: Be Even More Ruthless 374: Chapter 372: Be Even More Ruthless The Nisshin Maru had a gaping hole several meters wide on its hull, and as more and more seawater flooded into the cabins, the ship sank faster and faster.
Its bow was already tilting upwards—it would probably be completely submerged within ten to twenty minutes.
As for the First Kawatama Maru, although its stern took two torpedoes, the destructive power of the 324mm light torpedoes was incomparable to that of the 533mm heavy torpedoes.
Even if the Nisshin Maru sank, the First Kawatama Maru might not necessarily go down.
For Gao Yang, it was essential not only to sink the Nisshin Maru and First Kawatama Maru but also to prevent the crews from escaping.
Although it was impossible to speed up the sinking of the two ships, they had a way to stop the crew members from leaving.
Gao Yang looked at Glolov, and Glolov was looking back at him.
Before Gao Yang could speak, Glolov said with a gleeful expression, “Are you thinking that it’s time for us to bring out the machine guns?”
Gao Yang nodded slightly and smiled, “Exactly, let’s set up our machine guns.”
Glolov had once suggested that the Japanese might get the chance to board lifeboats and had advised Gao Yang to prepare a heavy machine gun onboard the Avenger.
Gao Yang felt Glolov’s considerations were thorough and sensible, so he specifically instructed Uriyangko to ensure a heavy machine gun was prepared on the Avenger.
Now, the heavy machine gun was coming into play.
Glolov clapped his hands and sneered, “Brothers, who wants to help me bring out the heavy machine gun?”
As soon as Glolov finished speaking, a few men crowding around the torpedo tube on the forward deck relayed a message: the contact between the torpedo tube and the control panel was faulty, but they have now eliminated the clapping, meaning, the remaining torpedo could be launched.
Pavlovich then shouted, “Please wait a moment, we have resolved our torpedo malfunction.
We can now sink one of the ships immediately, so which one will it be?”
Gao Yang looked towards Glolov, and after a brief hesitation, Glolov waved his hand decisively, “Take out the smaller ship.
Leave the Nisshin Maru to me; I’ll send them to hell with the machine gun.”
Compared to sinking with the ship to the bottom of the sea, those Japanese crew members who had the chance to board or had already boarded lifeboats would find it even more desperate and agonizing to realize that instead of drowning, they were going to be gunned down by machine guns.
Gao Yang strongly agreed with Glolov’s decision and immediately yelled to Pavlovich, “Sink the First Kawatama Maru.”
“As you wish, we’ll sink the First Kawatama Maru!”
Pavlovich nodded at Gao Yang and immediately ordered the Avenger to approach the completely immobilized First Kawatama Maru.
Gao Yang gestured towards Glolov and laughed, “Don’t you want to fire the last torpedo?
Although it’s just pressing a button, it’s quite exhilarating.”
Glolov happily responded, “Sure, I’d love to.”
Without getting too close, the Avenger made a slight turn.
From a distance of less than five hundred meters from the First Kawatama Maru, it aimed at the ship’s side.
Following Pavlovich’s command, Glolov pressed the button, and the last torpedo, like an arrow released from the bow, shot straight towards the First Kawatama Maru.
Then, with a fountain of water shooting skywards, the First Kawatama Maru was sent to the bottom of the sea.
The sole remaining Nisshin Maru was left on the sea surface, by now its bow was raised high, with at least half of the ship submerged.
However, the first lifeboat had been lowered from the Nisshin Maru.
But at this moment, Gao Yang and his men had already brought the heavy machine gun onto the deck, and the Avenger had returned to the vicinity of the Nisshin Maru.
The Nisshin Maru had time only to lower one lifeboat.
Crew members not on the lifeboat jumped into the sea, then were picked up one by one by the people on the lifeboat.
Watching as the lifeboat’s occupants picked up the fallen sailors one after another, Gao Yang and his men leisurely assembled their heavy machine gun.
The heavy machine gun Uriyangko had brought aboard was a 12.7mm Browning M2HB.
After setting up the tripod, placing the gun body, and feeding the ammunition belt into the chamber, Glolov rubbed his hands together and said, “Guys, let me man the machine gun, I assume none of you object, right?”
Cui Bo urgently said, “No, wait a minute.
Killing the Japanese devils has been my dream since I was little.
Could you let me take the first go?
Anyway, I can’t shoot straight with the machine gun, so you can take over after I’m done, okay?”
Li Jinfang said urgently, “As a Huaxia person, it would be unacceptable to have the opportunity to kill a few Japanese and not do so.
Rabbit, just fire until it’s good enough, then leave some for me.”
Glolov shrugged his shoulders and yielded the machine gun, saying, “Alright, you guys go first.”
Rabbit rubbed his hands, took hold of the M2 machine gun handle, pulled back the bolt with his right hand, took a deep breath, and then suddenly yelled, “Japanese devils, I curse your ancestors!”
The machine gun roared to life, with 12.7mm bullets pouring out.
About a dozen people were floating on the surface of the sea, and a lifeboat was picking up those who had jumped into the water one by one.
Cui Bo’s target was the lifeboat.
The Avenger was only three to four hundred meters away from those in the water and the lifeboats.
At that distance, strafing with a 12.7 mm machine gun needed no explanation for the consequences that would ensue.
The lifeboat was a fully enclosed shell with its own power, but its speed wasn’t much to speak of.
The bullets Cui Bo fired quickly left a line of bullet holes in the lifeboat, but it was unknown how many casualties there were inside.
Cui Bo kept his finger on the trigger and didn’t let go, rapidly exhausting a two-hundred-round belt of ammunition.
However, Cui Bo’s ability to operate the heavy machine gun was limited, and despite the constant firing, it appeared that only a few of the people in the lifeboats and floating in the water were dead.
After emptying the belt, Cui Bo took a long breath and said, “That was so damn satisfying!”
Li Jinfang pushed Cui Bo aside, urgently saying, “Let me do it, look what you’ve done with the machine gun, now watch me.”
Glolov helped load a new belt, but before Li Jinfang could start firing, Uriyangko shouted loudly, “Guys, make it quick, we have company.”
Gao Yang turned his head and saw the Arctic Sunrise approaching them.
After witnessing several whaling ships being sunk in succession, the Arctic Sunrise had already left the area, but for some reason, they had now returned.
Glolov furrowed his brow and said, “What a nuisance, why have they come back?”
Gao Yang shrugged and said, “What else, to rescue people.
When the Japanese were whaling, they saved the whales, and now that the Japanese have become the hunted, it seems they’re planning a rescue again.”
Li Jinfang swung his head and said, “Never mind them, it’s still a few kilometers away.
We’ll deal with it when the ship gets closer.
For now, let me take out some of these damn Japanese.
I’ve been waiting for this day for far too many years.”
After these words, Li Jinfang also pulled the trigger.
He fired in short bursts, targeting the individuals scattered on the water surface.
The Japanese crew members in orange life jackets were conspicuously floating on the sea.
The orange design was to make them more visible to facilitate rescue, but now the visibility only made it easier for Li Jinfang to aim.
Li Jinfang fired several bursts, but managing a heavy machine gun was entirely different from an automatic rifle.
After a few bursts, Li Jinfang finally got the hang of it.
The 12.7X99 mm bullets hitting a person truly exploded upon impact, with each hit the bloodied bodies were accompanied by red-tainted seawater.
Soon, there were patches of red floating on the water, like red flowers blooming on the blue sea.
Li Jinfang fired patiently and accurately, yet his methodical shooting displeased others.
Glolov urged loudly, “Faster, faster, I’m waiting for my turn.”
Li Jinfang sighed helplessly and then swiveled the gun muzzle, pouring the remaining bullets from the belt onto the orange lifeboat.
Once Glolov had loaded the belt, he suddenly turned and frowned at the onlookers, “Guys, are we being too cruel?”
Glolov, usually understated and not bloodthirsty, but as someone who had fought wars his whole life and seen everything, couldn’t be called heartless, yet he wouldn’t have any excess sympathy.
Thus, Gao Yang was surprised by Glolov’s question.
Gao Yang frowned and said, “Cruel?
I don’t think so, killing the Japanese like this is already merciful, isn’t it?”
Uriyangko shouted loudly, “Hey, is this the Big Dog I know?
Buddy, don’t forget how they treated your precious daughter.”
Cui Bo added, “Exactly, think of Yelena, think of Catherine, damn it, just killing these Japanese bastards like this is too kind.
Old Russian, if you won’t do it, I will.
I’d relish the chance.”
Glolov shrugged and said, “Sorry, what I meant was, if you all don’t think this is cruel enough, then, I guess I’ll just have to be even more cruel.”
After that, Glolov started firing in short bursts, his rate of fire was much quicker than Li Jinfang’s, and he was extremely accurate.
The reputation of the Machine Gun Artist wasn’t for nothing.
After gunning down one after another, with each trigger pull blooming a blood spray on the sea, Glolov said once he had hit all the living people scattered in the sea, “You have to understand, hitting people with large caliber rounds, ensuring a hit without killing them, is a challenging task.”
Gao Yang lifted his binoculars, watching Glolov’s targets struggling and shouting on the water, the seawater around them growing redder and redder.
He couldn’t help but give Glolov a thumbs up, “You’re fierce, just awesome.”
Glolov’s face, full of satisfaction, cracked a slight smile, then said coldly, “They’re as good as dead, but they almost froze Yelena to death, so before they die, let them suffer a bit longer.
That’s why I aimed for their legs, maybe if someone is lucky enough to get their guts shot out, their suffering will be a little shorter.” (To be continued.
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